"It was intense," Andersson said. "I’d seen a few games between these two teams before and they were physical struggles, so it was kind of the game that I expected.

"It’s fun to start with a win."

The Red Wings recalled Andersson from the Grand Rapids Griffins to replace fellow Swede Tomas Holmstrom, who will be out a week to 10 days with a strained groin. He didn’t find out he was being called up until just before practice Tuesday in Grand Rapids, when Griffins coach Curt Fraser pulled him aside to deliver the news.

"It was a special feeling when he told me that I was going to play in the NHL," Andersson said. "I went right back to my apartment, packed and then drove here. I grabbed a quick nap at the hotel and it was time to go to the rink and play."

Anderson, a center, played left wing on a line with former Griffins Justin Abdelkader and Cory Emmerton. Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said they called up Andersson because his size (6-foot-2, 206) and grit might come in handy against the big, physical Blues.

”He’s bigger than those guys (Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist)," Babcock said. "I don’t know if he can do it, but we like this type of player (for Tuesday). Sometimes, you need some apples and sometimes you need oranges."

Andersson, the club’s third-round pick in 2007 (88th overall) has eight goals, nine assists, a plus-1 rating and 16 penalty minutes in 29 games with Grand Rapids. He wasn’t sure how long this promotion would last.

"Of course, I hope to play more and play up here, but it’s a good team, so I’ve got to be patient," Andersson said. "It’s been pretty good down there in Grand Rapids, I’m playing a lot."

Said Babcock: "He’s been here at a few camps and he’s working his way into being an NHL pro. He’s probably going to be a third- or fourth-line center (eventually). He’s a big body, real good instincts. He’s got to play (in Grand Rapids) to get more pace in his game."

Wearing No. 63, Andersson became the first player in team history to wear a uniform number in the 60s.﻿